Remember kids... always wear a helmet. (The almighty bikeradar helmet thread)

Don't forget that despite the cool appearance of Bern, they're not so cool in keeping you well.. cool.

if you want a helmet, forget about finding the nicest looking one and choose the one that you find comfortable.

I've been thinking about this, and not feeling like I'm wearing something that either makes me look like my mum doesn't let me ride unless I'm wearing it (most cycle helmets) or looking like I just got off the special bus (those hockey style helmets) contributes significantly to my sense of comfort. At the moment I'm in the former camp (I wear a Bell).

I'm also deeply suspicious of these apparent physicists explaining how helmets make you more likely to crash, and don't protect your head. If they break, they've absorbed energy, be it kinetic or lightsaber. I can believe that drivers are less careful around helmet wearers - perhaps as the researcher in Bath demonstrates, new helmets should come with huge wigs. But otherwise, why would anyone, from brick-layers to rally-drivers, wear helmets? I mean flak helmets aren't designed to stop bullets (except for the NVA helmets designed in E Germany) but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't want one in a war zone!

I'm also deeply suspicious of these apparent physicists explaining how helmets make you more likely to crash...

Well in some cases, helmets does make you more likely to crash, but that's usually down to the person, some people feel very confident after simply putting a helmet on and end up overcompensating themselves while riding their bike, i.e. cornering a little too quickly, taking smaller gap etc.

that only if you ride under the illusion that you'll be nice and safe with a piece of foam on your head.

I often overcompensate myself.

Well in some cases, helmets does make you more likely to crash, but that's usually down to the person, some people feel very confident after simply putting a helmet on and end up overcompensating themselves while riding their bike, i.e. cornering a little too quickly, taking smaller gap etc.

that only if you ride under the illusion that you'll be nice and safe with a piece of foam on your head.

So helmets make dickheads more likely to crash? Admittedly the worrying thing is that car drivers are even less careful around helmet wearers. Makes you wonder if we should be riding out in full on fuck-tha-police W.O.M.B.L.E. kit!

This reads like an argument for homeopathy.
No, an argument for homeopathy would be 'cars crash into people, so to prevent this, people should wear a wing mirror talisman', or 'helmets protect heads, so in order to obtain the maximum protection I should wear a sun visor'. It's precisely the crumbly justifications of the non-helmet crowd that bothers me. 'helmets attract accidents' sounds like witchcraft.

Bought a catlike whisper plus yesterday. It fit perfectly when in Condor (only place i could find one in!) but felt really rubbish on the ride in this morning :(

Off to Condor tomorrow to swap for the Giro Prolight

Is your head swelling at certain times of the day? Smaller when you have morning wood?

Admittedly the worrying thing is that car drivers are even less careful around helmet wearers.

Worrying indeed. I ride where there is very little traffic but a lot of narrow roads with blind corners and blind crests. Without fail I will get overtaken on a blind corner or hill on every ride with the car having to drive on the wrong side of the road into the blind corner. I even take up an assertive position which I get the feeling makes them do it more out of spite.

For the drivers to be any worse if I wore a helmet would mean they would have to deliberately ride into me!

. If they break, they've absorbed energy, be it kinetic or lightsaber.

great arguement, ignoring you complete lack of understanding, of how lightsabres work, it would work as an arguement to wear a paper bag on your head... I have no doubt the paper bag would rip in an accident, and that it would have absorbed some energy to have broken...

Anecdotally within polo there are a couple of players I notice who take much bigger risks when they play in helmets compared to when they don't...

Is your head swelling at certain times of the day? Smaller when you have morning wood?

lolz

I'm also deeply suspicious of these apparent physicists explaining how helmets make you more likely to crash, and don't protect your head. If they break, they've absorbed energy, be it kinetic or lightsaber. I can believe that drivers are less careful around helmet wearers - perhaps as the researcher in Bath demonstrates, new helmets should come with huge wigs. But otherwise, why would anyone, from brick-layers to rally-drivers, wear helmets? I mean flak helmets aren't designed to stop bullets (except for the NVA helmets designed in E Germany) but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't want one in a war zone!

bicklayers e.t.c don't ware cycle helmets though do they the argument is about cycle helmets effectiveness. If we follow your argument why don't people wear helmets in cars, you get head injuries in cars e.t.c

Regarding the K.E argument it is has been found that K.E is absorbed but above a suppringly low speed the amount absorbed is insignificant and make little to no difference to the injuries.

I don't wear a helmet because they make people look like douche bags.

Thanks a sensationalist poster about someone who has sustained brain damage, does not prove or disprove anything. Nor does it make the case for wearing a cycle helmet any more than the case for wearing a helmet in a car.

And if i go under an HGV, it's probably best if I lose consciousness. Quickly.

great arguement, ignoring you complete lack of understanding, of how lightsabres work, it would work as an arguement to wear a paper bag on your head... I have no doubt the paper bag would rip in an accident, and that it would have absorbed some energy to have broken...

Anecdotally within polo there are a couple of players I notice who take much bigger risks when they play in helmets compared to when they don't...

Great argument ignoring your complete lack of understanding of how commas work.

I don't wear a helmet because they make people look like douche bags.

Maybe you should wear one then, so people aren't confused.

I think "Great argument, ignoring your complete lack of understanding of how commas work" would have worked better imo...

Great argument ignoring your complete lack of understanding of how commas work.

Tsk tsk. That's what the Ed Hardy line of clothes are for - so the douchebags are now instantly recognisable.

I don't know where that trauma porn poster comes from but you would have to read it carefully to see what they are saying. They have numbers of deaths and serious injuries but no number for those with permanent brain injuries and no justification for the 40% figure.
They don't say how many of the 11,000 deaths could have been saved, most fatalities involve collisions so severe a helmet would make no difference. Of the 30,000 serious injuries how many involve permanent brain injury? Thankfully it is a very small number.

What are the figures for drivers dying or suffering head injuries and how many of them wear helmets?

If you want to get into the statistics spend a few weeks reading through CHO

I don't mind about wearing helmets, people should choose what they feel is appropriate.

I do care about laws that say you must not cycle unless you wear a helmet. I care because there is no evidence that these laws make cycling safer. In many cases the amount of cycling goes down and the casualty rate goes up.

No, I don't give a shit. I argue both sides because I like an argument.
I wear a lid most of the time. Sometimes I don't. I don't like analysing stats. I make my own mind up.
Blah blah blah.. I don't like the scaremongering style ad above.

Tsk tsk. That's what the Ed Hardy line of clothes are for - so the douchebags are now instantly recognisable.

True, true.

No you don't.

Yes I do!

YouTube- Monty Python - Argument Clinic

Regarding the K.E argument it is has been found that K.E is absorbed but above a suppringly low speed the amount absorbed is insignificant and make little to no difference to the injuries.

e = mc squared init.
The engergy, produced, in a crash, goes up, in a logarithmic way, relative to speed...

Fakenger, they don't call me willam shatner for no reason